Protective mask



P 1947- .IJCOCCEL-LATO 2,418,334

PROTECTIVE MASK Filed June 25, 1945 2 heet l INVENTOR 1 JOHN COCCELLATOBY M 9 "AT TORNEY April 1 J. COCCELLATO 2,418,334

PROTECTIVE MASK Filed June 25, 1945 2 eets-Sheet 2 INVENTI'OR JOHNCOCtELLATO M wymu ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 1, 1947 omrso STATES PATENToFsicE PROTECTIVE MASK John Coccellato, San Francisco, Calif.

Application June 23, 1943, Serial No. 491,900

Claims. (Cl. 2-8) The invention relates to a head-mounted mask for useby mechanics and other workers to protect their eyes and faces againstinjurious conditions inherent to their occupations.

An object of the invention is to provide a general-utility mask which isadaptable to its advantageous use by workmen in a variety of vocations.

Another object is to provide an improved mask structure including agoggles arranged for its resilient and direct fitted seating against thewearers face when in use.

A further object is to provide an improved means for directly mountingthe goggles on a head-piece or harness for its ready adjustment betweenits self-seating use position and a non-use position in which it is freeof the wearers head while supported therefrom.

An added object is to provide a mask structure of the characterdescribed having a face shield thereof displaceably mounted on thegoggles for its optional use.

Yet another object is to provide a particularly effective means forremovably mountin a face shield on a goggles with which it is usable toprovide a complete face-shielding mask,

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be set forth or be apparent in thefollowing description of typical embodiments thereof, and in theaccompanying drawings in which,

Figure l is a side elevation of one embodiment of a complete maskassembly mounted in use position on a persons head, a non-use disposalof the masking assembly being indicated in dash lines.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation taken at the line 22 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken in a fore-and-aft andupright central plane of the mask.

Figure 4 is an enlarged top view of the mask, portions of the structurebeing broken away to disclose certain details thereof.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal view through a linkage connecting the maskproper and a sup-porting head-piece.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken at the line 66in Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary section at the line l-l in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a view showing the elements of Figure 6, but with ashield-securing member transversely displaced from its operativeposition.

Figure 9 shows another embodiment of the mask in a view corresponding tothat of Figure l, a displaced position of a face-shield element of themask being indicated in dash lines.

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary section Figure 12 is an enlargedtop view of the mask of Figure 9, portions of the structure being brokenaway.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary section at the line I 3l3 in Figure 12.

Figure 14 is a section showing the relation of the members ofFigure 12when the face-shield element is disposed in the dash-line position shownfor it in Figure 9.

Two embodiments of mask assemblies disclosing the features of myinvention are shownand hereinafter described, and these assemblies havebeen. particularly designed for mounting on the head of a worker forprotecting his eyes and face against such industrial hazards as unduheat, intense light, actinic rays, flying sparks and other particles,spattering metal, etc'., which arise in different occupations, such aswelding and grinding and forging and coating, etc. A mask unit embodyingmy invention essentially comprises an eye shield or goggles arranged forfitted. engagement against a worker's face, a face shield displaceablymounted on the goggles for completing the face protection as required, asuitable, headpiece for fitted disposal on the worker's head, andamounting connection between goggles and head-piece such that the gogglesmay be displaceably and sealedly held against the wearers face when inuse.

As is particularly illustrated, similar head-piece structures 16 areutilized in both of the mask assemblies shown, and said structures eachcomprise a flexible band i! which is arranged to fittedly encircle thehead of the wearer at the brow line and has opposite side points thereofconnected by an arched band I8 which comprises a crown band of thehead-piece; the present head-piece I6 is of the nature of a head harnessor cap, and may be so considered and referred to. For fitting. thehead-piece Hi to a particular workers head, the band I! is preferably ofadjustable length; as shown, the band is split at its rear, and its rearends are telescopically engaged in a sleeve mem- 3 ber H) from itsdifferent ends to permit an adjustment of the band length.

The effective length of the band Il may be positively adjusted and fixedby any suitable means; as shown, ears 20 extend outwardly from thedifferent band ends and in mutually spaced relation through a slot 2|provided intermediately in the outer side of the sleeve l9, andareconnected by a compound screw 22 having an intermediate head from which.oppositely threaded shank portions extend through nuts provided on thedifferent ears.

The front portion 23 of the band I] 7 comprises a brow band, and may beso referred to. The head-encircling band ll and the crown band I8 may beof metal, but are preferably of a material which isnon-inflammable'and'isnonconductive with respect to heat andelectricity; a sheet fibre or a plastic meet these requirements.

By reference to the embodiment of Figures 1 to 8 inclusive, it willbeseen that the goggles 24 Qithismask; assembly comprisesv a tubularbody 25 of rectangular cross-section providing a rec,- tangular sightopening 26 at its front atwhich one or more suitable transparent lensesor panes are mounted for protective disposal in front of both eyes ofa-user of the mask. In the present structure, and in terms of a.usepositioning of he. mask, the flat upperand lower body walls 2.l;-and28'respectively aremutually parallel and are perpendicular tothe planeof the sight opening 28, while the flat side walls Ed /of. the bodydiverge rearwardly from. said plane andi make equal, angles therewith.

The rear edges of the various body walls 21 28;,and 29. are; shaped'forsimultaneous line engagements with the opposed portionsof the wearer.s'face;1as shown, the rear edge 27! 0f the tiOlrwallZl is concavedlycurved to fittedly receive the; wearers'. forehead below thebrow band23, the'rear edge 28 of the bottom wall 28 is concav'edly curved andnotched to fittedlyengage the .profileof the wearers cheeks and nose atitsline of engagement with the face, and the rearfledges. 2.9 of theside Walls 29 are straight and'jmutually parallel in a plane parallel tothat of; the sight opening and at which the rear bodyedgesllandrZB.terminate.

Aecontinuous inturned flange 31 at the forward ends of: the body sidewalls defines the sight opening 26: and provides a seat for-the mountingagainst: and behind it of one or more panes or lenses, a single lens 32being particularly'shown' in; the present assembly as representingany-desiredttype of lens or combination of lens-es. In accordance withthe particularuse conditions for the. gcgglesythe lens or lenses usedwould have variouslight-screening qualities or solelyprovidea-transparent protection of the eyes and-thecoveredpface portionagainst heat and/or flying particles.

For releasably securing a lens or lenses in place behind:.the flange SI,a member 33 of resilient sheet; materialis sprung. forwardly into placebetweenthe forward edges of upright stop memberss'iyextending inwardlfrom the body side walls 29 and the rear face of the lens 32 at its top;and bottom edges, said member 33 being provided withaninterior openingopposite the sight opening 26 and essentially. comprising a releasableleaf-spring. means. The present stop members 3.41areshown as comprisingelongated flat elementsintermediately pivoted upon the side wallsfZ'llfor swinging inttheir planes -whereby:

they. may; assume .thrusteb alan'ced positions asseat member for theends of the spring 33 engaging their forward edges.

Inwardly of its forward end plane, the goggles body 25 is provided witha continuous flange 35 extending outwardly and arranged for use inmounting a, suitable face shield element on the goggles. As shown, theflange 3i defining the sight opening 23 and the shield-attachment flange35 comprise integral parts of the body 25, which body is preferablyformed of a material which is non-inflammable and a poor conductor ofheat, and may be of a moldable material or fire-proofed wood. While suchis not specifically shown, it will be obvious that a speciallightsealing means might be provided about the edges ofan installedlens.

Ingeneral terms, the connection of the goggles as with the head-piece i6is effected by means of a tension linkage so connecting the goggles andhead-piece that, with the goggles positioned beneath the brow band '23,as in Figures 1 and; 9, the goggles areresiliently held in fittedposition against the wearers'face entirely by the'action of the tensionlinkage provided. As shown in Figures l and 3 and 4 and 5, said'tensionlinkage comprises assemblies 36 pivotally' connected. with. the gogglesand head-piece at. corresponding; points at their opposite sides bymeans of hinge;

pins 31 and 38'respectively. The hingepins 3'! extend transverselyoutwardlythrough, and? from the goggles body sides 29 atcorrespondingintermediate points of said sides,- while the, hinge-pins;

38- extend laterally outwardly through, and; from thereat, and soprovide, for a particularly rigid mountingof the pins 38 on. thehead-piece.

It will-now, be noted that each linkagev assembly 36 essentiallycomprises a tubular, memberi39 telescopically and slidably receiving; a.cylindric member M in. its bore. and connected with the. latter memberby means of a spring-42 in such a manner that thespring iz constantlyurges. a drawing of the member 4| within the member 39 to a permittedlimit. In. the present structure,

and as brought out in Figure 5, the-outer end of; theqmember ll isprovided with an eye 43;

for freely receiving ahinge pin 3'! or 38, while a plug member M fixedin the other end of. the

tubular member 3% provides an. eye 45 at its'outer end; for freelreceiving a hinge pin 31 or 38.. At their opposed inner ends, theplug'44and the member 4| are providedwith eyes46 and 4 1 respectivelyfor the connection of the helical ten sion spring 42 toand between theplug and -'member to constantly urge the drawing of the mem-- ber 41within the member 39' to the permitted limit Stop pin '59- extendinginwardly fromthe member 39 into a longitudinal side slot 50 of the"member. 4| prevents a relative turning of the members, and the differentslot ends normally prevent the removal of; the member from the member39'and limit the extension of -the member 41 'into the member 39; asindicated, the pin 49 comprises a screw which is threadedlyengagedthrough the side of-the member 39 at an'appropriate point thereof.

In the present instance, the pins 31 and 38 are formed generally assplit rivets, engage freely through the eyes tiland 45',- fltrotatablythrough openings in the body sides- 29- and the'head band I lwith 1 their heads opposite the-inner faces of? the sides and head, havetheir points turned outwardly for retaining'an eye/receiving them, andhave helical compression springs 5i enclosing their shanks between theeyes and the goggles body or head-piece which mounts them. As shown, thepins 31 are utilized to provide the pivoted mounting of the spring seatmembers 34 by their engagement through transverse openings of themembers which are engaged between the pin heads and the opposed faces ofthe body sides 29. This goggles mounting arrangement laterally spacesthe linkage assemblies 36 from the goggles and head-piece, provides adesirable degree of frictionalresistance to relative adjustments of thegoggles and head-piece, and secures the pins in their mounted positionsthrough the goggles body and the band of the head-piece.

A further and particularly noteworthy advantage of the presentarrangement for mounting the goggles on the head-piece is the fact thatthe springs 5! are cooperative to urge a symmetrical relation of thegoggles to the head-piece while permitting any variation for suchsymmetrical relation which is required for a fitted bearing of thecontinuous inner goggles edge against a wearers face, it beingunderstood that the pin connections at the terminal eyes of the linkageassemblies are universal to the required degree. Preferably, and asshown, the planes of the sides 29 of the goggles body 25 extendgenerally parallel to the lines of the linkage assemblies connected tothem when the goggles and head-piece are in symmetrical relation.

A face shield member 53 is provided for mounting on the goggles body 25at the flange 35. In the present structure, the shield member 53 iscircular in outline, is generally dish-shaped with an edge flangeportion 53 extending rearwardly of its general plane, and is providedwith an interior opening for fittedly receiving the portion of thegoggles body forwardly of the flange 35 to which, the member may besuitably attached. While the shield 53 might be permanently fixedagainst and to the flange 35, or to some other goggles body portion,;amounting of the shield on the goggles for its displacement to permit theuse of the goggles without it is preferable, as this shield member maynot be needed under some circumstances of use of the goggles;accordingly, the disclosed attaching means for the shield is releasableto permit the use of the goggles with or without the shield. The shield53 is preferably formed of a non-inflammable fibre or plastic whereby itmay have a minimum weight.

For the most effective disposition of the face shield 53 with respect tothe goggles and a users face, the opening thereof receiving the gogglesbody is eccentric to it and, in terms of its use position, adjacent itstop. As shown, the means releasably fixing the positioned shield on thegoggles is directly cooperative with the flange 35, and,in genera1terms, comprises a plurality of like clamping devices which areoperative through registering holes 54 and 55 of the shield and flangerespectively to cooperatively fix the shield to the flange. Morespecifically, the present clamping devices are mounted on a frame-likemember 56 providing rearwardly projecting members 51 disposable throughsaid holes 54 and 55 and mounting cam or toggle catches 58 at their freeends for operation against the rear face of the flange 35 head for themembers 51. i As particularly shown, the members 51 comfitting profileas before.

prise ears extending'ln pairs from the member '56 and pivotably mountingthe catches 58 between them at their outer ends. The catches 58 are flatand comprise eccentric edge-cam portions 58' and radially extendinghandle portions 58". When a catch 58 is operative, as in Figures 6 and7, the handle portion 58" thereof is arranged to extend generallyparallel to the flange 35 while a generally flat portion of its cam facebears as a toggle against the flange at opposite sides of the opening 55through which the cam-carrying ears extend. When all the cam handles 58"are extended in line with the ears 51, as in Figure 8, the member 56 andshield 53 are released for removal forwardly from the goggles body 25;the member 56 may be fixed to the shield 53 if desired.

It will now be noted that the tensionally operative linkage assemblies36 slope upwardly from the operatively disposed goggles to the headpiecewhereby they are generally operative to engage the goggles with theunder side of the brow band 23 while fittedly seating the rear gogglesedge against the wearers face. When the goggles is to be displaced fromits operative position, it is manually pulled outwardly against theresistance of the, springs 42 of the linkage assemblies until thegoggles body 25 clears the brow band 23 for its swinging upwardly todispose the goggles body above the band. A subsequent release of thegoggles permits a shortening of the linkage assemblies to their limitsimposed by the pin 49 of the member 39 (as in Figure 5) whereby theraised goggles may rest on the wearers forehead without pressure otherthan that of, gravity, or upon the top of the brow band, the formerbeing particularly indicated in Figure 1. In this manner, the gogglesmay be displaced from their use position while the head-piece is mountedin its fixed position on the user's head.

Referring now to the embodiment of Figures 9 to 14, it will be notedthat this mask assembly includes a head-piece structure l6 like that ofthe first embodiment, a goggles 6| arranged for fitted engagementagainst the face of the wearer of the head-piece, a face shield 62displaceably mounted on th goggles, and assemblies 63 connecting thegoggles with the head-piece for engaging the goggles in its use positionand providing for its swinging between its use and non-use positions.The body 64 of the goggles 6| is shaped and constituted generally as thebody 25 of the goggles 24, having the rear edges of its upper wall 65and its lower wall 66 and side walls 61 defining a face- At its forwardend, the body 64 is provided with a continuous inturned flange 68providing a seat for an appropriate lens or pane 69 which is removablyheld in place by a spring frame 16 which is flexed between it and aspring-seat member H corresponding to the member 34 of the firstembodiment. The body 64 would preferably be molded or cast of anoninflammable and light-weight material,

Each present linkage assembly 63 comprises a pair of links I2 and 13hingedly connected by a pin 74 at mutually engaged ends thereof, andhaving their other ends provided with eyes which freely receive pins 15and 16 extending outwardly from opposite sides of the goggles body 64and head-piece 16 respectively. The hinge-pins 15 and 16 extend throughhelical compression springs 1! which are engaged between the links andthe elements from which the corresponding pins 15 and 16 extend, thedisclosed pivoted engagement of the links with the goggles andhead-piece being 'thesam'e'as that providing the-connections of the:linkage assemblies :36 ;of the: first embodiment.

"An helical spring 18 iconnects intermediate ipoiritsofithelinksz't25and 1350f each-assembly 63, said :spring beingsarranged' to bein :tension when the goggles of the inounted *mask is :operativelyfdisposed in frontiofr-the wearers eyes, the links 12 and 1 3 r thenbeing angularly related whereby the "spring 18 urges a -shorteningof theconnection provided betweenthe goggles and head-piece. As shown, thelinkeconne'ctingl'hinge:pins 14 are disposed above the plane of thehinge pins '15 :'and 15, wherebylthisllinkage:never lies oppositeEthe'uncovered'face'side portions below theheadxpiece fbrow band 23;Ittis'to be noted that the action Lof' the resiliently tensedconnections thus "provided between :the goggles and head-piece mayresiliently engage the top of the goggles "In the'present structure, theface shield 62 is 'hin'gedly mounted on the goggles for its displacementfrom a cooperative relation to the =goggles without requiringitsdismounting therefrom, As particularlyshownpthe-face-shield 62 "isshaped asthe'shield 53 of the first embodimerit, andfis fixedly carriedon a member 18 -fwhih 'frames 'its sight-opening andis directly hingedto'the goggles body 64 for its swinging adjustment about an ax-is aboveand parallel toth -'top 1ine ofthesi ght opening at the for- "ward-'endof the goggles body. In the present structure; laterallyspaced arms 19extend upwardlyfrom' forwar'd points of the top of the body 64, and armstl ie'xtend'upwardlyfrom the top "o'f theirame member IE! to a hingedconnection of their upper ends with the arms 8|. The

"opposed faces of-thegoggles body 64 and the member 18 arecomplementarily formed for a light-tight fittedengagement when theshield 'is operatively disposed with'respect to the goggles,

and means arevprovidedifor optionally securing the shield-in operativeand inoperativelrelations tothe goggles. 7

As particularlybrought out in TFigures12 and 13 and 14, the hingearms'79 areformed to providefforwardlyaopning. rectangular channels at theirupper ends, and the upper ends of the hinge arms Share engaged andhingedly held in said channels by mutuallytaligned hinge pins..82

extending through them-andthechanne1 sides.

Springs 83 are so engaged between the arms19 =a'nd'8l adjacent thehinging, points of the arms that they are operative to yieldinglyurge aretention of the face-shield -fil in the limiting operative and,inoperative positions'shown for it,

while permitting a shifting of the shield between said, positionsthrough a'deadgcenter position. In the present'lstructure, the. springs83 are C-shapedare disposed inftheaplane of rela- "tive swinging 'ofassociated "hinge: arms 'le'an'd 81, and'are pivotally connectedtto therespective arms bymeans of pins 8d and fidmounted therein; each arm Blbeing recessed-frorn its rear face to receivethespring end whichislattachedr to it by i'the 'pin 85. V

The present shield-carrying.frame "18 may; as

is shown, mount a. supplementary screeningilens 86 =behind aco'ntinuousfinturried flange 811 at its forward end which preferablyprovides a sight .iopening no 'smaller than that provided Joy the,diange *68 which "definesithe effective :sight open- :ing "for thegoggles '6 I the 1 present :arrangement providing a secondary ior:supplementary goggles. .The lens=86 is heldiinplace by a frame-likeleaf spring 88 "which is "reactive :against the J lens 86 behind i topand .1bottom .poi'nts thereof and reaction ribs: 89 extending inwardly:from the side walls of the frame'18';1the arrangement corresponds-tothemountingmeans for the lens 69 ofthe goggles-Bi. It will be understoodthat 'thepresent structure permits aninoperative disposal-oftheshield w,and the secondary goggles which'mounts it; independently of the goggles6 I, or a non-use-disposal of the-complete-gogglesand-shield assembly.

.An inoperative disposal o'f'thepresentgoggles "assembly is arrangedto'be effected by manually .pulling'the goggles structure forwardly-=against theyielding "resistance of the'springs 18 of the link'age 63so'thatthegoggles 'body will clear the brow band 23, swinging thestructure'upwardly and out of the line of vision of the wearer, andreleasing the structure to engage the band '23 and/or the wearersforeheadto secure the as sembly in its displaced position,etheactionj'being reversed for replacinglthe assembly inits use position.When the maskis dismounted from a persons head, its partsmay assume therelation shown in Figure 11 as being more compact than that of Figure-l0 in whichause relation of the goggles-and face shield is shown.

From the"foregoing"description of the invention taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings the advantages ofthegconstruction; and

methods ofuse will be readily understood by those "skilled in the.artzto which the invention appertains. While I have described thefeatures and principles of useof arrangements WhiCh'I now piece inalineaboutthe eye's, anda tension link- .-age swingablymountingthegoggles .on the headpiece, said linkage comprising pairs of mutuallyengaged andrelatively movable elements extendving from pivot.connections with, the head-piece and with the goggles at. correspondingopposite points thereof, and a spring meanslreactive di- .rectly betweenthe elements of eachpair of like elements to constantlysand yieldinglyurge the movement of the'pivot points on the goggles towardthe-corresponding pivot points on the head-piece. I I

-2. 'In a protective, mask, a head-piece, "an eyeprotectinggogglesarrang-edfor its .use positioning to engage theface of the"wearer of the headpiece-in-a;-line;-adjacent and: about the eyes, a

resilient tension linkage swingably mounting the ,gogglesOnthehea'd-piece and operative to resiliently seatthegoggles in its use'position against the wearers'facep-a face shield member having .aaninteriort opening therethroug-h for fittedly; re-

xceiving the goggles, and'means mounting the face shield directly onthe, go gles;,for ;cooperation therewithto" provide a :lateral:extension; of T the 9 masking area of the goggles and for its removalfrom its use position with respect to the operatively disposed goggles.

3. A structure in accordance witlr claim 1 whereof the linkage elementsof a. pair are telescopically engaged.

4. A structure in accordance with claim 1 whereof the linkage elementsof a pair are hingedly connected at the ends thereof opposite theirpoints of attachment to the goggles and 10 head-piece.

5. In a protective mask, a head-piece, a goggles arranged for its usepositioning to resiliently bear against the face of the wearer of thehead-piece in a line about the eyes, multi-section links of 15 variableeffective length independently connecting opposite side points of thegoggles with corresponding opposite side points of the head-piece for aswinging displacement of the goggles between its use position and anoverhead non-use 20 position, means cooperative between the sections ofeach link to resiliently urge a contraction of the link, and meansproviding pivot joint connections between the link ends and the gogglesand head piece while providing a frictional resistance to swingingdisplacements of the goggles.

JOHN COCCELLATO'.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in ,the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,106,615 Maurer Jan. 25, 19382,126,697 Bigelow Aug. 16, 1938 2,187,542 Hagen Jan. 16, 1940 2,187,932Cornell Jan. 23, 1940 2,283,739 Kelley May 19, 1942

